“Lesley has been an inspiring leader and shown great vision to strategically develop TECNZ into a
position where TECNZ’s profile and influence both within and outside of our industry provides real
relevance to our members, the wider industry and in Wellington.”

“Lesley has been a fantastic communicator and networker and those skills and effort have opened
many doors and opportunities for TECNZ over the last six years. Her ability to manage independence
vs. alignment of our association with many influencers both inside and outside the industry means
she leaves the association in a strong position.”

“Her advocacy skills in representing the best interests of the tourism industry will stand her in good
stead as she explores a new opportunity in the world of national politics. On behalf of the Board we
wish to thank Lesley for her work and commitment to success, and wish her all the very best in her
new endeavours.”

Lesley will leave us in July (date to be determined) and we will immediately implement a recruitment
process for a new CEO.

]]>http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/tourism-export-council-nz-ceo-resigns/feed/0International Tour Escort Work Visa Exemption Approvedhttp://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/international-tour-escort-work-visa-exemption-approved/
http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/international-tour-escort-work-visa-exemption-approved/#commentsMon, 01 May 2017 00:05:29 +0000lesleyhttp://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/?p=7824Immigration New Zealand has announced a range of changes to the Immigration New Zealand
Operational Manual and among them a work visa exemption for international tour escorts much to
gratification of inbound tour operators.

Amendment Circular 2017-05, has most of the changes effective from 8 May 2017, with amendments
related to a new visitor visa for international tour escorts coming into effect on 22 May 2017.

Chief Executive Lesley Immink of the Tourism Export Council NZ (TECNZ) is rapt with the outcome
and indicates that it is reflective of the good communication and increased understanding between
TECNZ and Immigration/customs officials in recognising the value that the sector provides to New
Zealand.

“These changes will mean that tour escorts will be able to travel to New Zealand as visitors .
Previously, policy required that tour escorts hold work visas, so this change will mean easier visa
applications for tour escorts from visa-required countries (who will be eligible to apply for visitor visas
rather than work visas), and visa-free travel to NZ for tour escorts from visa-waiver countries.

This brings international tour escorts in line with other work visa exemption groups including: business
sales representatives, visiting sports teams, events, conference and entertainment staff and
management teams.”

A tour escort has a different role from a tour guide and persons intending to travel to New Zealand as
a tour guide are required to obtain a work visa.

More information can be found on the INZ website or contact Lesley Immink.

Tourism Export Council NZ (TECNZ) has submitted to the Clean Water consultation document and
is concerned that we are heading down a path where freshwater quality could lead to
reputational damage to our ‘clean green’ marketing promise we share with the world.

Our country’s freshwater policy must reflect the love and connection our people have with their
rivers, streams and lakes by putting in place meaningful limits and strong legal protection to
support the work of councils and communities.

Instead, the Clean Water consultation document, which indicates 90% of New Zealand’s rivers will
be swimmable by 2040, is a mass of smoke and mirrors which fails to address responsibility for
fresh water-ways pollution.

The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM) in its current form is
nothing more than a PR-stunt from Government who continue to ignore scientists and expert
opinion re the state of our freshwater. The NPS-FM does not address the serious problems facing
our waterways and, in fact, will make them worse.

To add insult to injury, as an amendment to the Resource Management Act (RMA), government
have craftily included “economic well-being and productive economic opportunities” criteria for
Regional Councils who make freshwater allocation and protection decisions. The changes will
effectively undermine environmental protection in the existing freshwater policy statement by
requiring “economic well-being and productive economic opportunities” to be given the same
status as the environment.

TECNZ (like TIA) were stunned to see that the tourism industry is not being perceived as one of
the industries that rely on fresh water quality in the economic criteria used to identify vulnerable
catchments for water bodies appropriate for applying for the Freshwater Improvement Fund. This
shows a disappointing lack of understanding of the importance of fresh water to the tourism
industry and how important the tourism industry is to the New Zealand economy.

CEO Lesley Immink adds “it’s incredible that Government is solely focused on protecting the
economic wealth of an industry sector that continues to pollute the environment. There is no
point of any mitigation measures if the root cause of waterway degradation is allowed to
continue at the rate the Government is encouraging.”

“Clean water is the essence of life. It’s vital for us every single day personally, and for us as a
country to be able to enjoy the benefits socially, culturally and economically. The people of New
Zealand are starting to take notice and it won’t be long before our international reputation is
damaged and we’ll have to suffer the consequences.”

On the surface the Government’s Freshwater announcement yesterday looks and sounds good, but the Tourism Export Council is sceptical the release is a smokescreen that disguises the true state of New Zealand’s Freshwater status and is seeking transparency and urgency from government re New Zealand’s declining water quality in the country’s rivers, lakes and streams.

The Prime Minister announced yesterday new standards for freshwater quality with 90% of waterways swimmable by 2040 – which on paper sounds like great news. The Tourism Export Council however joins many environmental groups to voice concerns that this announcement is a rouse and simply not good enough.

Firstly, without a sense of urgency pollution of our waterways will continue to worsen for the foreseeable future – something the Tourism Industry cannot afford.

Secondly, the Government’s definition of ‘swimmable’ is vastly different to what we believe most New Zealand would consider “swimmable”.

Previous, the Government’s measure for freshwater to be safe to drink or swim in has been 260 E coli units per 100 millilitres, that had now been pushed out to 540 units and if a body of freshwater meets that standard 80 per cent of the time, it is deemed ‘swimmable’. Quite simply the goalposts have been widened to ensure more rivers and streams fall within the govt’s threshold of ‘swimmable’.

Up until now, most councils have determined recreational water quality using Ministry of Health guidelines. Those guidelines state that if you swim somewhere with an E coli level of 550 per 100mls, you have a one in 20 chance of contracting campylobacter. This is effectively the Govt’s new definition of swimmable – a one in 20 chance of getting sick from swimming in our rivers and streams. Clearly – not acceptable.

The Tourism Export Council’s chief executive Lesley Immink says there is a lot at stake with potential reputational damage a risk for New Zealand.

“Today’s visitors are environmentally aware and clean water is an essential aspect for New Zealand’s tourism and primary exports future. We have to be seen to be doing all we can to live up to 100% Pure New Zealand promise, backed up by meaningful policy,” Ms Immink says.

Last year, the Council supported the Choose Clean Water Campaign which highlighted that New Zealanders wanted swimmable water. The campaign ended with a 13,000 signature petition being presented to Parliament calling for better freshwater quality.

Since then tour operators have given a mandate to the Council to continue to advocate for the protection of the environment.

“New Zealand could become the first genuinely sustainable nation. It has the natural assets and people to make this possible but we risk these assets being eroded by poor decision making, poor business practices and careless decisions”.

We are better than the solutions presented yesterday.

]]>http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/tec-sceptical-about-freshwater-announcement/feed/0Church of Good Shepherd – TEC continues to supporthttp://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/church-of-good-shepherd-tec-continues-to-support/
http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/church-of-good-shepherd-tec-continues-to-support/#commentsTue, 14 Feb 2017 04:18:08 +0000lesleyhttp://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/?p=7621Lake Tekapo – Upkeep of the Church of the Good Shepherd

The Church of the Good Shepherd has seen increasing impacts from the influx of tourists visiting Lake Tekapo and the Mackenzie district in recent years. TEC is working with the Church to assist with enhancement of the experience for visitors, car-parking and other related issues.

While infrastructure amenity funding has been made available to provide new toilet facilities on the west side of the Tekapo footbridge, there are costs involved in maintaining the church and enhancing the experience itself that are currently being borne by the local parish (the Mackenzie Cooperating Church). TEC encourages coach operators, rental vehicle and inbound companies that visit or promote the Church of the Good Shepherd, to make a donation to help cover the costs of maintaining the Church and experience. You can find information on how to donate here. In addition, drivers and guides can also encourage their customers to make a donation either using the website or using the onsite donations box on the side of the Church.

Many thanks for recognising that we need to honour and assist this unique New Zealand icon so that it remains a beautiful and respected Church and attraction by all visitors to Tekapo.

]]>http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/church-of-good-shepherd-tec-continues-to-support/feed/0TEC 2016 – end of year updatehttp://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/tec-2016-end-of-year-update/
http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/tec-2016-end-of-year-update/#commentsThu, 15 Dec 2016 02:07:52 +0000lesleyhttp://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/?p=7531If tourism operators want to employ skilled migrant workers they may have to start paying more. That’s the message from the government, TEC CEO Lesley Immink told the end of year symposium. TEC is working with TIA and MBIE on immigration visitor and migrant worker visas categories. “the main message the government is saying to us is, if you value this employee you have to show your value by a pay rate or wage with a minimum of $47,000 (based on a 40 hr week) whether front office language speakers, inbound operator product managers or adventure tour guides”. Migrants applying for employment under the Skilled Migrant Category also now need 160 points to qualify for the visa compared to the previous 140 points. Priority weighting and points (30) are given to those who choose to work outside the Auckland region. It is expected further changes to Essential Skills and Working Holiday Visas will be announced early next year.

Ms Immink said TEC has an ongoing friend-and-foe relationship with DoC. “tour operators care for the environment, whether they be part of a group tour, Real Journeys or THL. We all want to deliver that experience and most of it happens on the DoC estate but there are challenges with DOC working in the commercial space.” TEC is working with TIA, DoC and the Bus and Coach association looking at improving the compliance to guiding, parking and general concessions. “It is big work in progress with DoC experiencing phenomenal growth in recent years. So many more people are getting out and experiencing wildlife which has increased the pressure on the infrastructure and environment.”

ITOs work hard bringing in groups and FITs to New Zealand but because of supply and demand for hotel inventory, there are constant price changes and allocations.“We are constantly working on your behalf up in market to bring new business to New Zealand and it has been frustrating when ITOs secure the business thinking they have allocation and contracted rates only to be told, sorry the status quo has changed, she told operators. This causes embarrassment to the ITO and the wholesaler at the other end, and is damaging the reputation of New Zealand as a destination. A pop-up survey last month with ITOs indicated up to 30% of business being lost from New Zealand because accommodation in Auckland and Queenstown cannot be secured to complete itineraries. We need to respectfully keep talking to each other so there are less ‘surprises’ and we don’t turn off wholesalers from dropping New Zealand as one of their destinations to sell.”

TEC took a risk supporting the Choose Clean Water Campaign but wanted to contribute to a worthy project – protecting the environment. Between the campaign, a successful petition (13,000), the submission to the Next Steps for Freshwater, TEC has bought the tourism industry into an important environmental discussion with 92% of members indicating they want TEC to continue advocating for the protection of the environment. When the campaigners appeared before a select committee the young group was impressive. “All are under 30, all are studying and it was inspiring to have these young people standing up for freshwater. The Select committee with representatives from Labour, National and Green Parties with local government were highly impressed with their presentation. That combined with the Havelock North water borne illness incident, has prompted them to recommend to government that Freshwater quality become and an issue of public health & safety.

Young TEC has grown to 270 members and in its short history has already won the PATA gold award for education and training. This may be extended to other PATA member nations. Young TEC is also keen to hold TEC Talks, similar to the popular and global philosophical and inspirational TED talks on Youtube.

Big benefits are set to come to the Fiordland region after it was announced that Distinction Hotels, supported by Destination Fiordland will host the 2017 Tourism Export Council Conference.

General Manager of the Distinction Hotel & Villas, Brent Stander says the team who put in the bid to host the conference are rapt. “This is fantastic. It will bring the top New Zealand inbound holiday destination decision makers to the Fiordland region and give us and every tour operator in the region a real vehicle to promote the region,” he says. “We last hosted the TEC Conference (previously known as ITOC) in 1996 so we were well over due for the region to host again”.

Mr Stander says being awarded the conference was the culmination of years of hard work by the team who working closely with inbound operators and educating them about the region. “We can’t underestimate how much value this conference means to us. It is an exciting opportunity to showcase the region and over the coming months we will be calling on other tourism operators in the region to be involved with pre and post conference familiarisation tours.”

Mrs Immink says that getting tourism operators to different parts of the country is a key part in educating them on the attractions and activities on offer. “Fiordland is one of premier visitor destinations and we know that Distinction Hotels and Destination Fiordland will do a great job in ensuring that delegates from around New Zealand and overseas will see it at its very best.”

Tourism industry leaders say New Zealand needs a clear vision and a long-term strategy for management of freshwater that reflects the values of New Zealanders.

And they say the importance of quality freshwater to the tourism industry is often overlooked.

Chris Roberts, Chief Executive, Tourism Industry Aotearoa, says clean freshwater is vital to the growth and sustainability of New Zealand’s $30 billion tourism industry which is aspiring to increase annual turnover to $41 billion by 2025.

“Healthy freshwater ecosystems are fundamental to supporting the natural landscapes that are the primary reason visitors travel to New Zealand. They are also integral to many tourism activities such as rafting, jetboating, swimming and fishing.

“The Government must recognise freshwater as an essential platform for the growth and sustainability of the tourism economy and that this is apparent in freshwater economic management and the resourcing of freshwater protection and improvement.

“We support the implementation of the Land and Water Forum’s recommendations of a national freshwater management approach that aligns with New Zealand values of fishing, swimming and mahinga kai/food gathering, with an overall improvement of freshwater over time.”

Lesley Immink, Chief Executive, Tourism Export Council NZ (TEC), argues that a national freshwater policy statement that only aspires to ’wadeable’ water equates to a marketing disaster for New Zealand.

“Many of New Zealand’s largest and high profile export industries, including tourism, agriculture and viticulture, trade on the country’s natural environment.

“We need to demonstrate that the aspiration of all New Zealanders, led by the Government, is at the minimum swimmable freshwater, and where we can, it should be drinkable. This must be one of New Zealand’s highest priorities – for our communities, the economy and the health and wellbeing of our lakes, rivers and streams.”

Earlier this year TEC championed the freshwater discussion on behalf of the tourism industry, supporting the Choose Clean Water campaign.

Members of that campaign will appear before the Local Government and Environment Select Committee today to recommend that the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management sets the acceptable swimmable standard as the bottom line for New Zealand.

]]>http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/tourism-industry-support-stronger-freshwater-regulations/feed/0Water is the new ‘ global gold’http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/water-is-the-new-global-gold/
http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/water-is-the-new-global-gold/#commentsWed, 05 Oct 2016 19:24:28 +0000lesleyhttp://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/?p=7401Water is the new gold!

The Tourism Export Council (TEC), which earlier in the year led the freshwater discussion on behalf of the tourism industry by supporting the Choose Clean Water campaign, maintains that we as an industry and country have to value fresh clean water as the highest priority – for our communities, the economy and health and well-being of our freshwater lakes, rivers and streams!

A significant motivation for visitors choosing destination New Zealand is our clean, green image and we want to ensure this reputation lasts for generations to come. The tourism industry is concerned that if more is not done to immediately protect the environment and our waterways, our clean, green marketing proposition could be quite different in 50-100 years. We believe water quality to be the single greatest challenge to maintaining New Zealand’s environmental promise.

New Zealand is richly blessed with fresh water. We have 145 million litres per person – six times as much as Australia, 16 times as much as the US and 70 times as much as China or the UK. However, we need to value it appropriately with all the right environmental protection mechanisms in place.

While the Land and Water Forum reports and the Next Steps for Freshwater Consultation document show good progress in identifying our freshwater challenges of the past; until the question of water ownership and pricing are properly resolved it will be difficult to achieve efficient management of our freshwater resources. New Zealand needs to move to some form of water pricing to achieve the best use of this valuable and finite resource and protect the health and wealth of our nation.

On behalf of TEC, I said to Environment Minister Nick Smith: ‘A national water policy statement that only aspires to wadeable is a marketing disaster for New Zealand’. We need to demonstrate that the aspiration of all New Zealanders, led by the Government, is at the minimum swimmable and where we can, it should be drinkable.

And not just because the tourism industry trades on the 100% Pure New Zealand brand, but all our export products such as agriculture, horticulture and viticulture also trade on our clean green image. Fonterra presents their own products to the world with its imagery of livestock set amidst rolling green pastures, snow clad mountains and sparkling waterways. While we cannot be 100 percent safe or make every waterway swimmable all the time, we need to hand-on-heart know we are doing all that we can.

Clean freshwater is the new global gold, so we should protect it for ourselves and treat it like the precious commodity it is.

Disbelief then excitement was how Lesley Immink, CEO Tourism Export Council describes Young TEC winning the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) international award for Education and Training 2016.

“This is absolutely the best news! We know Young TEC is hugely successful here in New Zealand so to have Young TEC recognised by an international team of expert judges is hugely gratifying. It is a great honour and demonstration of young tourism professionals stepping forward and taking ownership of their futures in tourism”.

The Education & Training category was judged on benefit to the tourism and travel industry, commitment to the industry, informational value and effectiveness of the programme. This year’s PATA awards attracted 212 entries from 71 organisations and individuals worldwide. The awards ceremony will be held in Jakarta Indonesia, September 9.

Young TEC was founded by the Tourism Export Council (TEC) in 2012 to provide networking, mentoring and development opportunities to young people in the tourism sector to grow their industry knowledge, particularly in tourism distribution channels. Members are based throughout New Zealand and attend regional networking functions, leadership days and industry famils. During winter months the National Development Programme continues to add value to Young TEC member’s knowledge, through presentations and training by tourism experts, with participants also matched to a mentor for further growth. Young TEC currently has 265 members nationwide, and has placed 107 people through the National Development Programme in three years.

Young TEC is now moving into its next phase promoting tourism as a valued career in New Zealand, working with tourism education providers to review and broaden curriculum content and by being tourism ‘ambassadors’ – speaking in schools and tertiary institutes to inspire more young people to undertake a career in tourism.

Young TEC Chair Loren Heaphy agreed that the award was high praise for the organisation. “Being only 4 years old, Young TEC has grown to be one of the most valuable memberships people starting their tourism career can undertake. We often hear from our mentors that they wish Young TEC had been around when they started in the tourism industry. We hope the profile created by winning the PATA Award will encourage more young people to undertake a career in tourism”

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Comments from industry partners show the value Young TEC brings to both businesses and individuals:

YTECs National Development program and networking events are producing more rounded and productive employees who understand the wider industry and distribution. John Gregory, MD Pan Pacific Travel

As a retired Young TEC (age 37 years), the benefits to me professionally in the last few years have been incalculable. I look forward to ‘paying it forward’! Dylan Rushbrook, Heritage Hotels & former Young TEC Chair

Results for Young TEC speak for itself. Year on year new member numbers, increased profile throughout the industry, and employers ‘buying in’ re Young TEC being the professional development training that was missing from the industry. Young TEC is now its own brand within the tourism industry! Lynda Keene, CEO Nelson Tasman Tourism

I loved the idea of Young TEC when we first mooted it a few years ago. Participating in the National Development Programme and other Young TEC events, feels sort of like the older All Blacks giving guidance to the new boys on the park who in fact will one day succeed them!”Martin Horgan, Southern World Travel & TECNZ President

“Through programmes like Young TEC, the industry is really embracing the new ideas and fresh perspective that comes from the younger generation of tourism professionals. We are fully supportive of Young TEC and congratulations Young TEC on winning the PATA Gold Education & Training Award! Kevin Bowler, CEO Tourism New Zealand

]]>http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/young-tec-wins-pata-award/feed/0Season review & accommodation concernshttp://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/season-review-accommodation-concerns/
http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/season-review-accommodation-concerns/#commentsMon, 18 Apr 2016 23:39:51 +0000lesleyhttp://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/?p=6586Its been a stellar season for the tourism industry and the shoulder season months are stacked with incentives and group travel which is just what the industry ordered. Traditional markets have rebounded back with vengeance post the GFC and arriving in good numbers for FIT and group travellers.

With online travel agents (OTAs) being a key part of the travel distribution chain, accommodation product suppliers have more choice than ever re who and how they want to do business with. Some FIT travellers take advantage of the book direct and online medium, but there are still huge numbers of FIT travellers who want to book via travel trade and this has enabled inbound tour operators (with the appropriate itinerary planning technology) to cater as well for independent travellers as they do for groups.

The rise in FIT travel has not come at the expense of group travel with groups back to pre GFC numbers and group sizes of 40-50 pax in coaches. Inbound tour operators are back to quoting 18-24 months in advance with offshore wholesalers, securing the business, but have huge challenges with accommodation and coach capacity. The market share across FIT and groups has increased and we need some respectful understanding between accommodation providers and inbound tour operators to ensure we all ‘make hay while the sun shines’.

In a recent inbound tour operator survey, some reported losing up to 30% of quotable business from New Zealand because of lack of accommodation for groups or groups being yield managed out with pricing. Its no surprise that Auckland and Queenstown are the key regions with limited capacity, especially during the high season. ITOs are doing all that they can to move the business to a more suitable time and changing itineraries, but if we can’t get accommodation at a reasonable price, then ITOs can’t complete itineraries and the business is lost to New Zealand. Once international wholesalers start switching off that New Zealand is too hard to brochure (even if understanding re high season capacity and pricing), they will simply sell another destination and this could have a detrimental flow on impact for years to come. It’s the old rule of keeping the customer you have happy is more profitable than trying to recruit a new customer.

In the coaching sector, New Zealand coach companies cannot build coaches fast enough and if you ordered one today, it is likely to be 9-12months before it can be released into the system. Coaching is changing and while the baby boomers of today like some independence, there is still the growing market of those that want to know where they are staying each evening and getting to the destination, attractions and activities in the most efficient time possible. They also expect wifi on board, nice bathroom facilities, recliner chairs, food options and maximum viewing opportunities in terms of the touring coaches. Coaching in the future is not a movement of people from A to B, but a new interactive, safe, environmental, friendly and social experience.

The Tourism Export Council in conjunction with the Bus & Coach Association are preparing a “benefits of coach & group touring” document for local and central government policy makers and influencers which we look forward to sharing with the industry in the near future.

The Tourism Export Council was delighted to be with the Choose Clean Water team and continue the support to campaign for better freshwater standards when they presented their petition of more than 13,000 signatures to parliament today at 1pm. The petition was received by 12 Members of Parliament, representing the Labour, Green and Maori Parties including Labour Leader Andrew Little, co-Leader of the Green Party Metiria Turei and co-leaders of the Maori Party Te Ururoa Flavell and Marama Fox.

The Choose Clean Water team toured New Zealand over the summer and collected stories of people who live with the effects of polluted rivers and lakes. The tour culminates with the handover of the petition.

The petition calls for better freshwater standards and demands that the Government increase their bottom-line standards for freshwater from “wadeable” to “swimmable”.

Choose Clean Water coordinator, Marnie Prickett, says supporters of the petition want the event to send a strong message to the Government that New Zealanders are committed to leaving clean, safe freshwater for the next generation.

“We have heard from the Minister for the Environment that current proposed legislations don’t make it clear that polluted rivers and lakes must be improved,” says Prickett.

“As it stands, the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management claims to safeguard the health of people and communities but only as affected by secondary contact with fresh water.”

“But rivers at this ‘secondary contact’ standard pose a risk of infection to people, even when they are just walking through them. This doesn’t safeguard the health of our people; in fact it does the opposite. This policy puts our country and our people in danger.”

Minister for the Environment, Hon Dr. Nick Smith, has said he’s open to strengthening the policy.

“Now is an historic moment for New Zealand in terms of how we manage freshwater and protect our rivers and lakes. It will have a huge effect on the lives of our young people and will be judged by future generations. We want to make sure our leaders do the right thing for all New Zealanders.” says Ms. Prickett.

Chief Executive of the Tourism Export Council, Lesley Immink agrees. “A significant motivation for visitors choosing destination New Zealand is our clean and green image and we want to ensure that reputation lasts for generations to come. We believe water quality to be the single greatest challenge to maintaining New Zealand’s environmental promise,” says Ms Immink. She says that it is time the government and Ministers for Environment and Tourism, to recognise the value clean water has for the country and New Zealanders.

The Tourism Export Council have been inspired by the Choose Clean Water team and campaign and over the course of the past few months, the public awareness re the state of our waterways has reached the point that people are talking about ‘wadeable versus swimmable’ and understanding all the implications associated with unhealthy waterways. Ms Immink ends with “this has been a worthy and important issue for the tourism industry to support and we thank the Choose Clean Water team for their passion, commitment and demonstration of action when something as important as clean water – which looked like it was drowning amongst big business objectives, has now been given a lifeline”.

The group was joined on the steps of parliament by school children, politicians, Iwi, university students, representatives from the tourism industry, and major environmental groups. A group on hīkoi from Turangi to Wellington (school students from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakarewa i te Reo ki Tuwharetoa) gave a moving and emotional plea to government and opposition parties on behalf of the youngest New Zealanders who stand to lose the most if New Zealand’s water quality continues to declines as it has over the last decades.

]]>http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/tec-supports-choose-clean-water-petition-to-parliament/feed/0Thanks for supporting Choose Clean Water Tourhttp://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/thanks-re-choose-clean-water-tour/
http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/thanks-re-choose-clean-water-tour/#commentsThu, 18 Feb 2016 03:56:58 +0000lesleyhttp://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/?p=6205The Tourism Export Council would like to thank all those tourism, travel and hospitality operators who have signed the “Choose Clean Water Petition”. The team were featured on Seven Sharp last week (11/2/16) and great to see young people so passionate about protecting the freshwater rights of New Zealand. The number one goal is to move the accepted ‘wadeable’ benchmark for water quality to ‘swimmable’.

When talking to media we strategically tried not to talk about dairying or 100% Pure New Zealand as the focus was about clean water legislation. However the media were not very interested in a group of environmentalists doing a tour of New Zealand telling water stories so we took the opportunity re the cows in Lake Taylor story to get their attention. It certainly grabbed their attention and we as an industry have received great coverage re supporting this issue as well as a stellar season reported on international visitor arrivals.

Fish & Game, Forest & Bird, The Morgan Foundation, Sustain News, Environmental Defence Society as well as the Freshwater Foundation are just a few of the organisations who are pleased to see the tourism industry coming to the party and advocating for tighter legislation. TEC has indicated that we would be pleased to be part of the Land & Water Forum advisory group, representing tourism interests which meets several times during the year.

If you’d like to see our comments, you’ll have to watch Seven Sharp On Demand. The story starts at 9 mins 50 secs with the teams story first

Our work is not yet done. If you have a large workplace, you can order the water drop card petitions by the 100 pack, they will be sent to you and then you can disseminate them. The idea is when we present the petition to Parliament on Tuesday 29 March that we put all the water drops on the steps of Parliament which hopefully will have media continue their interest.

At the moment we are at 8300 on the website and the team has collected another few thousand while on the road. The goal is 10,000 and we are confident it will be reached and exceeded but the more we receive the stronger our case will be. If you have not yet signed the petition we would appreciate you doing so and sharing among your staff, family and friends.

A senior manager at an inbound tour company said large groups unable to book accommodation at the resort were choosing to bypass the country altogether. The manager, who asked not to be named, said: “I believe it will dampen growth into New Zealand.” They added: “Queenstown is short three 250-room hotels now.”Tourism Export Council chief executive Lesley Immink called the situation a “crisis”. ”We’re losing business from NZ and the South Pacific because if they can’t get accommodation in Sydney, Auckland or Queenstown they can’t complete their itineraries and they’re actually going elsewhere.”

Ms Immink said tour group bookings were up 30% and an average group had lifted from about 30 people during the global financial crisis to 40 or 50. Queenstown was bursting at the seams, she said, and perhaps needed this “consolidation” of visitors. ”You can’t even look after your local infrastructure development, let alone thinking about the new tourism development.”

The country was in a tourism boom. It had three million international visitors for the first time in the year to July, she said. Night flights would land in Queenstown this winter and the resort stood to benefit from Auckland’s extra air links to Asia. February had become a super-peak in Queenstown, as the traditional bustle of visitors from Western countries coincided with Chinese New Year.

Destination Queenstown chief executive Graham Budd said the issue of tour groups snubbing New Zealand because of Queenstown’s hotel shortage was mainly about timing. Large groups often travelled in peak periods. He said independent travellers could usually find rooms, but might baulk at prices charged this week. Mr Budd said the resort desperately needed more four-star-plus hotel rooms. Given the rapidly growing, year-round demand in Queenstown he “wouldn’t disagree” that 750 hotel rooms were needed immediately. But he maintained the town was “nicely busy” this week, with a rush of tourists in town for Chinese New Year. Everyone he talked to – bars, restaurants, accommodation houses – had a bumper summer.

Local Hospitality NZ branch president Chris Buckley, a publican, said Queenstown had to take the good with the bad. With more people in town there was more money spent, “which is a huge bonus for everyone”.

Two small hotel developments in Queenstown are under way, a 54-apartment Ramada Hotel at Remarkables Park and a 54-room boutique hotel in Henry St. Swiss-Belresort Coronet Peak and Rydges Lakeland Resort have announced costly upgrades. A large development site at the top of Shotover St, with unconsented plans for a 202-room hotel, has just hit the market.

New Zealand waterways are again suffering abuse at the hands of weak legislation. Over the past week, several articles and television news stories have highlighted multiple cases of farm cattle in high country lakes and rivers. Photos and video have been taken by tourists and locals alike of streams of defecation trailing from animals free to roam into our pristine tourist destinations. “For the tourism industry, our international marketability, and ultimately our economy this is a disaster”, says Tourism Export Council CEO Lesley Immink.

A significant motivation for visitors choosing destination New Zealand is our clean and green image and TECNZ want to ensure that reputation lasts for generations to come. “We believe water quality to be the single greatest challenge to maintaining New Zealand’s environmental promise,” says Immink. Waterways around New Zealand are being sucked dry and polluted on an unprecedented level. Immink says that it is time the government and Minister for Tourism, John Key, to recognise the value clean water has for the industry and New Zealanders.

The Tourism Export Council of New Zealand (TECNZ) is supporting the Choose Clean Water Tour which is visiting lakes and rivers around the country to document through short films, how the continuing pollution of waterways is affecting local people and the environment. The tour is being run by four young campaigners who wanted to assemble stories about the degradation and loss of New Zealand’s freshwater environments. The campaign has received immense support nationwide with over 50,000 views of the short films and over 5000 signatures on a petition calling for stronger freshwater protection.

Since the images and subsequent articles were released, there has been a flurry of support for the campaign with environmental and nature groups stepping up to share their distain at repeated behaviour by some landowners and calling for stronger penalties and consequences for those that do offend.

Freshwater experts have recently challenged the tourism industry to stand up and do more to protect the environment. Candid illustrations about the state of our fresh waterways by New Zealand’s leading freshwater scientists has shocked tourism operators. Analyses of our freshwater, how it is likely to worsen if policy changes are not made and the ways in which water quality have been changed by government to give the appearance we are better than we are have highlighted the absolute crisis point our freshwater environments have reached.

President of the Tourism Export Council Martin Horgan, says “after hearing from freshwater experts, the industry decided that were in a position to do more, both politically and financially and agreed the Choose Clean Water Tour project was likely to have the most impact with some clear outcomes. The motivation for New Zealand to live up to our environmental promise is twofold. First from a sustainable point of view for future generations, but also from a commercial perspective. Our clean green image has worked as a marketing promise in the past, but if we don’t do more to actively live up to it, in 50-100 years’ time, there won’t be anything to market.”

At a time when freshwater legislation is under review (March 2016), the group will also provide the public an opportunity to push for stronger protection through a petition calling for the minimum standard for waterways to be raised from ‘wadeable’ as it is currently to ‘swimmable’, and to establish that the priority for freshwater legislation must be the health of people and the environment.

Immink concludes, “New Zealand will not be able to hide should international media grab hold of our freshwater quality. Herds of cows defecating in lakes, rivers and streams is a marketing nightmare. For a country which relies on tourism and our clean green image as our largest source of income, current policy and government commitment to freshwater protection is simply not good enough. The government needs to choose clean water as a national environmental priority”

Tourism Export Council of New Zealand Background: The Tourism Export Council of New Zealand is the commercial trade association that has represented the interest of inbound/international tourism since 1971. It represents 1300 key tour operators and suppliers throughout the country who package, distribute and market New Zealand tourism products and services internationally.

The Tourism Export Council New Zealand (TECNZ) is pleased to confirm both political and financial support to the tune of $10,000 to the ChooseClean Water Tour in January 2016. A significant motivation for visitors choosing destination New Zealand is our clean & green image and TECNZ want to ensure that reputation lasts for generations to come. We believe water quality to be the single greatest challenge to maintaining New Zealand’s environmental promise and see this tour as an opportunity to raise awareness among tour operators and mainstream New Zealand re the quality of our water.

Massey University’s Dr Mike Joy recently challenged the tourism industry to stand up and do more to protect the environment. TECNZ surveyed members, received a mandate to do more and invited Joy to speak at their tourism conference to hear some truths about New Zealand waterways. Joy shocked operators with an analysis of our freshwater status, how it is likely to worsen if policy changes are not made and the ways in which water quality have been changed by government to give the appearance we are better than we are.

President of the Tourism Export Council Martin Horgan, says “a range of projects were considered but in the end they agreed the Choose Clean Water Tour project was likely to have the most impact with some clear outcomes. The motivation for New Zealand to live up to our environmental promise is twofold. First from a sustainable point of view for future generations, but also from a commercial perspective. Our clean green image has worked as a marketing promise in the past, but if we don’t do more to actively live up to it, in 50-100 years’ time, there won’t be anything to market.”

Joy who recommended the project says “I commend the Tourism Export Council and their members for choosing to walk the talk, supporting the initiative. I talk at many conferences trying to educate and stimulate actions and it is heartening to have the tourism industry want to share the responsibility re the protection of our waterways. The tourism industry are direct beneficiaries of New Zealand’s clean green image and we welcome their contribution politically to the discussion and actions”.

The Choose Clean Water Tour will see four young campaigners visit over 25 lakes and rivers around the country to document through short films, how the continuing pollution of waterways is affecting local people and the environment. At a time when freshwater legislation is under review, the group will also provide the public an opportunity to push for stronger protection through a petition calling for the minimum standard for waterways to be raised from ‘wadeable’ as it is currently to ‘swimmable’, and to establish that the priority for freshwater legislation must be the health of people and the environment. The tour website allows the public to share their own stories about a local lake, river or stream and contribute to a national picture of the importance of waterways to New Zealanders. Details of the tour and petition may be found at www.choosecleanwater.org.nz.

The Choose Clean Water Tour will begin in Taupo on 10 January and run until 06 Feburary 2016. It is also supported by the Freshwater Foundation and Freshwater for Life.

]]>http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/choose-clean-water-tour/feed/0TEC Inbound Operator Report 2015http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/tec-inbound-operator-report/
http://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/tec-inbound-operator-report/#commentsThu, 10 Dec 2015 02:34:16 +0000lesleyhttp://www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz/?p=6149The TEC Inbound Tour Operator Report in partnership with ATEED is now available for members. Please respect that the data collected in report should not be circulated to non members.